In America, living can become unnecessarily expensive and unhealthy, so it’s important to consider whether your purchases are justifiable. From items with inflated prices to products that harm you and the environment, here are 17 things you need to eliminate from your shopping cart.
Takeout Coffee
What was once an affordable everyday starter for many people has now become an inflated expense you simply cannot justify. Rather than grabbing that $7 caramel latte, invest in a coffee maker and start preparing your own. It’ll cost you a fraction of the price!
Beef Jerky
Beef jerky has always been expensive due to the labor-intensive and time-consuming processes needed to make it, but the quality was worth it. However, most beef jerky products are lower quality today, yet the prices have increased, so it’s lost its position as a justifiable snack.
Ice Cream Machines
Ice cream machines are expensive to operate and waste space, and we bet you’ve only used yours a couple of times. Not many people have hours to spend making ice cream at home, so if you don’t already own one, maybe you should think twice.
Airbnbs
When it first emerged, Airbnb was a cheap rental alternative that offered more space for less money if you didn’t want to pay for hotels. Now, prices have spiraled out of control, and Airbnbs are only viable when you rent them for longer stays or with a large group.
Fast Food
Fast food has always been a convenient alternative to homemade food, and whilst unhealthy, it’s a nice occasional treat that saves us time and money. Not anymore, though–Business Insider reveals how inflation has pumped up the price of fast food, making you far better off cooking something simple at home.
Disposable Batteries
Recurring costs make disposable batteries expensive in the long run, but this isn’t all that’s bad with them. When thrown away carelessly, disposable batteries can also contaminate the environment with toxic chemicals. Just choose rechargeable batteries instead, and it’ll save you money whilst saving the planet.
Luxury Makeup
There’s hardly any difference between luxury makeup and the regular supplies you find on Amazon or in your local drugstore. Unless you’re rich enough to justify paying extra for a brand name, consider settling for a generic product for a fraction of the price.
Branded Medication
The FDA states clearly: “Generic medicines use the same active ingredients as brand-name medicines and work the same way.” This means that generic medicines come with the same benefits, something that we didn’t used to know. This means you can safely cut out 85% of your spending on branded medicine without any concerns!
Brisket
Briskets used to be some of the cheapest pieces of meat you could find, and they were super delicious, too! However, this has led to the meaty treats rising in demand, causing a pound of your everyday briskets to shoot up from $3 to as high as $25! That certainly is not justifiable.
Plastic Utensils
Plastic utensils may seem cheap and convenient for parties and picnics, but why waste money on them when real stainless steel cutlery can be found at dollar stores? Plastic utensils are far more expensive in the long run, and Forbes reminds us how they’re too contaminated to be recyclable, harming the environment.
Paper Towels
Shrinkflation has hit paper towels, and you now get them at an estimated 35% higher price than they were pre-2019. Instead of dealing with the recurring costs associated with paper towels, just buy some microfiber cloths and cotton napkins, which are washable and reusable.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks claim to be more hydrating than water, and their marketing messages tell us they are justifiable due to the electrolytes we lose when we sweat. This may be true, but they’re so expensive these days, and you can get the same benefits from dissolving cheap electrolyte powder in water.
Fast Fashion
Fast fashion is a relatively new phenomenon in the clothing industry, and it offers a great alternative to exorbitant luxury brands. However, due to the increased demand for it, you now get low-quality disposable clothing that does more damage to the environment than it benefits you.
Plastic Straws
Plastic saves consumers like you and me from dealing with paper straws that become soggy in our drinks, and manufacturers also prefer them because they’re cheaper to use. Sadly, plastic straws also destroy natural habitats, and they’re particularly unjustifiable when we now have alternatives made from metal and bamboo.
Disposable Razors
With disposable razors, you get blades that aren’t always sharp, which exposes you to skin irritations, higher long-term expenses, and unnecessary waste. Just choose safety razors instead; they have replaceable double-edged blades that stay sharper for longer, so they’re far more justifiable.
Branded Cleaning Products
Similarly to medication, your staple cleaning products won’t do their job better just because they have famous brands slapped on the package. Generic and store-brand cleaning products work just as effectively for a more reasonable price and are sometimes even more effective than name-brand products.
Bottled Water
Finally, bottled water is a totally unjustifiable purchase these days, at least when bought regularly. It’s far more expensive than tap water, and CNN reports that bottled water also contains up to 100 times more nanoplastics than previously estimated, making it more dangerous. It’s a lose-lose, so just buy a refillable water bottle!
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